Eat – Page 124 – Jellybeans in the City

A quiet place to work and eat (and even study!): Quarks & Quills, Banawe

Technology has enabled many changes to the way we work: with mobile devices, wireless data access and internet-enabled communications and file-sharing applications, we now have the option to work outside our offices. In fact, doing so might even make us more productive: it takes us away from the stress of commuting and a lot of workplace distractions.

However, when working from home is not an option, remote workers are faced with a conundrum: where to work in comfort and still be productive? And for foodies like me, where to get good food to fuel the day’s work.

Fortunately, Quarks & Quills Study Center and Work Cafe offers both a quiet and comfy space to work, as well as healthy comfort food to keep tummies satisfied.

Located in one of the suburbs of Quezon City, the cafe boasts of quiet and cozy nooks for studying or working, free WiFi access, as well as power outlets for charging laptops and mobile devices (essential for the “always-on, always-connected” peeps like me).

It also has function rooms upstairs for group meetings that can be reserved for a consumable amount (Php800 for up to 6 people and Php1,500 for up to 20 people). Reservations just need to be made a day in advance.

It also offers after-school tutorial services and enrichment programs in Math, Science and English for students. Those who want to learn Chinese can benefit from Mandarin and Fookien held upstairs.

And thanks to a Zomato Foodie Meetup, I was able to sample its homey and hearty food offerings, of which I recommend:

Monte Cristo (Php125). French toasted sandwiched with a hearty filling of cheese and homemade ham.

Tinapa Wontons (Php105). Smoked fish flakes in wonton wrappers fried to a crispy golden brown and accompanied by a Spicy Tamarind Vinaigrette.

Gyoza (Php105). Dumplings filled with minced pork and aromatics which are steamed then seared for a crisp bottom.

Breakfast Bubble Waffle Set (Php195). Unusually styled (bubble!) waffles served with slices of homemade ham and scrambled eggs.

Its versions of Omurice, the fusion of omelettes and fried rice, also pack quite a punch: the Pork Katsu (Php195) with its fork tender pork bites drenched in tonkatsu sauce and the Miso Salmon (Php255) with flavorful salmon pieces drenched in the resto’s signature Miso glaze. These would go a long way towards satiating a hungry worker or student.

Sisig Silog (Php150). The combo of the slightly spicy sisig, egg and fried rice make for an energizing meal.

For those who brought a big appetite, the best bets this resto has to offer are its Executive Meals: the BSS Pork Chop (Php335) – BSS means Big, Soft and Savory, by the way!) – and the Angus Hanger Steak (opening promo price of Php388). Both are quite good bargains considering the portion sizes, althought I would suggest specifying that the steak be cooked medium instead of well done.

If you’re carbo-loading, you have quite a number of options among its pasta dishes: from its Creamy Alfredo (Php180), Fresh Tomato Pomodoro (Php190) and Fusili Pesto (Php205), all of which come with a cheesy twisty sourdough bread stick.

You can also cap off your meal or gift your family for special occasions with the resto’s decadent sweet treats that come in slices and whole cakes. These include the Triple Chocolate Mousse (Php110 for slice | Php880 for whole) and Mango Graham Cake (Php135 for slice | Php1,050 for whole).

You can also opt for a S’mores Bubble Waffle (Php140). Apparently, at Quarks & Quills, the usual grid-style waffle is so basic. 🙂 This comes with some toasted mallows, a big dollop of vanilla ice cream and drizzles of rich chocolate syrup.

Now, how to wash all those goodies down? I chose a light yet creamy Hot Jasmine Milk Tea (Php70), which I messed up during prep, hehehe!

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How I failed at preparing my #jasminemilktea. Thanks for taking the video @rockyrhodz21!. . . . . . #drinkstagram #drinkersofinstagram #drinkpic #drinksmnl #drinksome #drinkstime #drinkspecials #drinksofig

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Sep 14, 2018 at 5:50am PDT

I’m also intrigued by the Hot Chocolate (Php80) which involves pouring the hot chocolate over a grid of solidified chocolate and toasted mallows.

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#HotChocolate makes any day a holiday. Especially if served with flair such as this concoction at @quarksandquills. . . . . . . #drinkstagram #drinkersofinstagram #drinkpic #drinksmnl #drinksome #drinkstime . . . . . . Follow me on IG/FB: @beingjellybeans. And do check out my blogs beingjellybeans.wordpress.com (for #foodiefinds, updates on #TVshows and #movies, and #fictionbook reviews) and thelearneratlarge.wordpress.com (for #businessbook reviews, #motivationalquotes and #trainingtips).

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Sep 15, 2018 at 3:54am PDT

Whether you’re here to study, work or just go on a gastronomic adventure, Quarks and Quills definitely has something for you. My only beef is the resto’s exhaust that didn’t quite accommodate all the smoke from the cooking that’s going on. Still, all the food and drink options will make your visit worth it.

And guess what! You can book a table at Quarks & Quills via Eatigo and enjoy 20% off your food bill. Not yet on Eatigo? Sign up here, book your table and attend your booking before January 31, 2019 for a chance to get Php500 Eatigo cash voucher.

Quarks & Quills is located at 43-H N. Roxas corner Apo Streets, Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon City and is open every day from 7am to 11pm. For queries and reservations, call +63 908 3719060, +63 956 0998913 or +63 2 8719502.

Disclosure: Together with other Zomato foodies, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

All-day breakfast at Milky & Sunny, Tomas Morato

This Milky & Sunny is an offshoot of the first branch established in Kapitolyo several years ago. It continues the restaurant’s aim to provide a place for people to come together for the comforts of home which is “as SOOTHING as a glass of warm milk and as RADIANT as the sun.”

Its menu was planned based on homey childhood favorites. The restaurant’s food trademarks include using only healthy olive and coconut oils to cook its dishes and heart-shaped rice for its rice meals which also come with choice of freshly brewed coffee or iced tea. Among the dishes I’ve tried here are:

Adobo Flakes (Php195). Day-old shredded pork adobo that’s been fried to a crisp then served in its original sauce and egg cooked per the diner’s preference.

Lechon Kawali (Php175). Deep-fried pork belly served with lechon sauce.

Saucy Beef Salpicao (Php240). Choice beef cubes marinated in spices and olive oil then sauteed with garlic.

Classic Dollar Pancakes (Php160). Small pancakes made from scratch, showered with sugar powder and honey maple syrup.

I found the food tasty, filling and reasonably priced.

The restaurant’s interiors, however, I find confusing. My expectation of breakfast places involves relaxing pastels and homey bric-a-bracs. Milky & Sunny’s area is a mish-mash of various design influences, from Moroccan-inspired tile tables to industrial-type exposed ceilings. The tile tables make for great flatlays, though.

This Milky & Sunny branch is located at Ground Floor, Ignacia Place, 62 Mother Ignacia Corner Sergeant Esguerra Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City. It is open from Mondays to Saturdays, from 11am to 5pm.

It’s other branch is located at Ground Floor, Eton Parkview Greenbelt, 112 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City, open from Mondays to Saturdays from 7am to 10pm and Sundays 7am to 3pm.

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Solo lunch adventure at BTW Fil-Mex Kitchen, Tomas Morato

I availed of a Metrodeal offer that gave me a substantial discount on the dine-in food offerings of BTW Fil-Mex Kitchen. Thus, I found myself walking the short distance from my office to this relatively newly opened resto along Mother Ignacia Street in Quezon City.

BTW stands for Burritos, Tacos and Wraps which sum up the resto’s menu. It Fil-Mex offerings include Burritos in bowls and wraps, Nachos, Quesadillas and Tacos, with some desserts and beverages thrown in.

It has a hole-in-the-wall kind of feel that would appeal to the younger crowd: an inviting facade, bright colorful interiors (with lots of natural light, perfect for photo opps and foodie shots) and relatively affordable fare. Older fogies like me would have some issue with the restaurant’s entrance which is a bit too high off the ground (and is definitely not wheelchair-friendly).

The lone server (whose name is Jonathan) gamely set about helping me with my order. The challenge is to fit an entire meal into the Php200 purchase amount covered by the Metrodeal voucher. We ended up with:

Beef Taco (Php170). Ground beef mixed with crisp vegetables and mexican sauces topped with cheese served over two soft taco shells (Note: hard taco shells were not available when I was there). It was served with a side of cheese-topped marble potatoes and some piccadillo. The serving was quite large, and since piccadillo helped provide some zesty counter to the strong flavors of the Mexican sauces in the taco.

Lechelatin (Php40). It’s a milk drink that even Jonathan had trouble describing to me. It has some clumps of small sago pearls at the bottom and is topped by what appears to be Rocky Road Ice Cream.

The tacos are ok – there is a fine blend of flavors among the beef, the veggies and the Mexican sauce.

Lechalatin, however, is problematic for me. It does not support the Fil-Mex proposition of the resto despite its name and execution may have been a bit hard for a lone server-slash-cook to achieve well.

I would prefer a more traditional Mexican-style chocolate beverage using the Filipino batirol to stay in keeping with the Fil-Mex theme than a confused amalgamation of disparate influences such as the Lechalatin.

Just my 2 cents. 🙂

Oh, and kudos to Jonathan for the great service!

BTW Fil-Mex Kitchen is located at 113 Mother Ignacia Avenue, Bgy. South Triangle, Quezon City. It accepts delivery requests via SMS to nearby offices and residence through the numbers +63 966 6880494 or +63 999 9092008. Queries may also be sent to the email happyburrito.btw@gmail.com.

Filipino food you can take comfort in at 13 Ubay Street, Banawe

It was a wet and rainy evening when I made a long hop over from my workplace to Quezon City’s Banawe area to attend a Zomato Foodie Meetup at 13 Ubay Street Comfort Dining.

As I made way through Banawe’s narrow streets in the rain, I grew apprehensive thinking on where to park when I got there. Fortunately, the restaurant’s ground floor mostly serves as it parking space, giving diners somewhere convenient and secure to park their cars. According to the restaurant’s owner, Chef Zaza Sarmiento, parking space was one of her non-negotiables when it came to her resto’s layout: a boon, I’m sure, to many motorists who just want to feast on her brand of Filipino food.

Upon entering, diners are treated to a feast for the eyes with a tasteful display of various eclectic artwork which were taken from the chef’s own family collection and travels. From the array of masks reminiscent of Bacolod’s Masskara Festival and the huge colorful mural at the staircase to the photos depicting local life on the walls (taken by her grandfather), the restaurant’s interiors are unique and indicative of the personal and family memories close to the owner’s heart.

The dining area, which takes over most of the restaurant’s second floor, is quite spacious, able to accommodate an entire family reunion or an office Christmas party.

Together with other Zomato foodies, I partook of another feast: this time of dishes that Chef Zaza deemed as among her favorites yet are underrated. These were classic Filipino flavors and recipes that she gave her personal touch to and made from scratch, in line with her vision to bring families and friends together over good food.

We started with some Spanakopita (Php170). These are triangular deep-friend pockets filled homemade laing, tinapa and kesong puti (white cheese made from carabao milk), and served with a dipping sauce of braised tomatoes.

Among the chef’s number ones is the Sinigang sa Lechon Kawali (Php410). This dish made of deep-fried pork belly boiled in tamarind-sour broth with red raddish, kangkong (water spinach), sitaw (string beans) and okra has a sweet aftertaste that sets it apart from other versions of sinigang.

Its version of Beef Pares (Php390) on the other hand, brings slices of beef brisket stewed until tender in the restaurant’s pares sauce. It is best enjoyed with the restaurant’s homemade chili garlic sauce.

Vegetarians have something healthy yet hearty to enjoy as well: the Mushroom and Tofu Salpicao (Php180) brings a mix of button and shimeji mushrooms sauteed with deep-fried tofu cubes in a garlicky sauce.

Our meal was capped with a delectable scoop of homemade Langka Ice Cream (Php70). Jackfruit is a staple in many Filipino desserts but is seldom an ice cream flavor so this serving is a rare treat.

Plus, if you like your Filipino food with with some refreshing craft beers and ciders, you’re in for a treat: 13 Ubay Street is also the home of Elias Wicked Ales and Spirits.

There’s much to like at 13 Ubay Street, all centered around the resto’s desire to give comfort to its diners.

As can be gleaned from its name, this restaurant is located at No 13 Ubay Street, Santa Mesa Heights, Banawe, Quezon City. For inquiries and reservations, call + 63 2 5796484 or +63 917 8762692. It is open daily at 11am to 2pm and at 5pm to 11pm.

Trivia: Did you know that 13 Ubay Street also served as one of the locations of the teleserye “Pangako Sa ‘Yo”?

Steak lunch with the kiddos at Mad Mark’s, Kapitolyo

I took my kids to Mad Mark’s in Pioneer Center, Kapitolyo last Monday for lunch before we run our errands for the day.

I remember that we used to have our weekend dinners at its former branch in East Capitol Drive several years ago. That was when Kapitolyo was the only foodie area in our radar. We stopped going around the time when we discovered other food communities as well as other Mad Mark’s that were more conveniently situated in malls.

This new branch in Kapitolyo is definitely an improvement over their old one. For one thing, it has twice the floor area and can accommodate more people. Secondly, being located in the Pioneer Center compound, there are a lot more parking space.

This branch is definitely more spacious, allowing the resto to play around with a few minimalist decor and furnishings that give homage to its artisanal beginnings.

I guess my major beef with this Mad Mark’s branch is how undermanned it is. At 11.30am, the time when most restaurants expect an influx of customers, it only has one person manning the store and most probably one cook in the kitchen. This resulted to long waits for our orders and requests, as well as the unavailability of some items in the menu.

When we were getting ready to order, we were informed that only the “Grill Works” – the steaks, ribs and grilled chickens – were the only viands available. Furthermore, of the seven side dishes on the menu, only plain rice, Garden Grains (Mad Mark’s version of fried rice), corn and carrots and smashed potatoes can be ordered.

We didn’t mind given that we just wanted to order the Signature Steaks (Php330), 150g premium USDA flat-iron steaks served medium-well accompanied by our choice of cream sauce. We were lucky enough that our favorite side dishes were also available. The steaks and sides served to us did not disappoint: the meat was cooked as per our requested doneness and the sides and our chosen sauce complemented the steaks very well.

We also ordered Mad Mark’s own Home-Brewed Iced Tea (Php49) – which I found a bit too sweet – to wash the steaks down.

And, of course, a visit to Mad Mark’s will not be complete without ordering dessert. Today, we decided to try the Liquid Cheesecake (Php160): it consisted of two pie pockets filled with a gooey custard topped by a scoop of Mad Mark’s Half-Baked Madagascar Ice Cream and drizzled over with thick chocolate fudge. I don’t get why this dessert is named Liquid Cheesecake (and I really don’t care; my kids and I liked it!).

This Mad Mark’s Creamery and Good Eats is located at Pioneer Center Supermart, 8006 Pioneer Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

Check out my review of other Mad Mark’s outlets:

Family Dinner Hack with Honestbee and Buffalo Swing Cafe, Maybunga

As a working mom, one of the regular challenges I face is trying to fit in all my errands and tasks during the weekend. Last Saturday was particularly hectic: I had errands elsewhere and I didn’t know if I will be able to finish them in time to come home and prepare an appetizing dinner for me and the kids.

Fortunately, Honestbee has recently expanded its services to food delivery and among its partner merchants is Buffalo Swing Cafe.

This resto is situated in the Maybunga area, quite some distance from my home. I never heard of it before as I don’t usually explore the area for dining options.

Already anticipating how busy my day was going to be, I already booked my orders the night before using the Honestbee app. I ordered the following:

1 order of American BBQ wings (Php175 – 5 pieces)

2 orders of Butter Parmesan Wings (Php175 – 5 pieces)

1 order of Macaroni and Cheese (Php170)

1 All-Cheese Pizza (Php345)

I chose 2 flavors of wings so that the kiddos and I will have some choice in our viands. The Mac ‘n Cheese is a special request from my daughter #ExhibitA, while the pizza is a treat for my little boy who is, by the way, is a self-confessed pizza monster, so I’m hopeful that the pizza order will be a hit with him.

The entire bill amounted to a little over Php1,000 but since I applied the Php500 reward I received for referring a friend of mine to Honestbee, my actual payable amount is Php569.

I was still stuck in traffic by the time my orders arrived. Fortunately, #ExhibitA paid for the delivery while I was gone.

By the time I got home, dinner was already laid out at the table, ready to be eaten.

Not surprisingly, the little boy loved the All Cheese Pizza. It arrived still warm with the brick oven baked crust still crisp and the cheese toppings rich and creamy. My little pizza monster was able to polish off 3 slices.

The Mac ‘N Cheese, on the hand, was a hit with #ExhibitA. We found the noodles firm and the sauce really cheesy, with bits of bacon to add a meatier flavor to the dish.

We actually loved the Butter Parmesan Wings. It had a new kind of flavor that is a departure from the usual spicy buffalo wings. The American BBQ Wings wasn’t bad either. It was quite close to the barbecue sauce flavoring we’ve come to expect and had some zesty aftertaste which counters some of the umay factor.

Both sets of buffalo wings arrived still warm and had tender and juicy meat, which was very much appreciated by the kids and myself who all made short work of the meal.

I’m glad that with Honestbee there’s now a convenient way for me to have food delivered at home, with various options other than the big fast food chains. It’s become a life hack for busy working moms like me who want to give their kids a dining treat without having to spend all day in the kitchen, nor having to forego other important activities.

If you’re in an area where Buffalo Swing Cafe delivers via Honestbee, I would recommend ordering from it. Sign up for Honestbee using this referral link and get Php500 off for a minimum spend of Php2,500. You can download the Honestbee app on iTunes or Google Play.

This post contains affiliate links.

I’m glad I discovered this hack for a great family dinner. Want to explore other life hacks that make parenting life easier and more enjoyable for you and your family? Check out these books on Amazon.com.

Parenting Hacks: 10 Smart Solutions for Raising Amazing Kids.

Weird Parenting Wins: Bathtub Dining, Family Screams, and Other Hacks from the Parenting Trenches

Busy Mom’s Cheat Sheet: Raising Happy Healthy Kids

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Long wait is worth it at Coco Fresh Tea & Juice, Ugong

Considering I’ve been such a milk tea fan for several years now, it’s wonder that I’ve only discovered this relatively new milk tea brand just now, and quite by accident at that.

I was scouting the restos and cafes in the Rockwell Business Center area for something new to try when I overheard someone ask the security guard where “Coco” is. When I espied the outlet (situated at the back of Tower 2 so it’s understandable that people would have trouble finding it), and saw the surprisingly long line of customers waiting to order or claim their drinks, my curiosity was picqued. What about Coco Fresh Tea & Juice would engender such a following? I must find out.

It seems that aside from the foot traffic coming in from the workers in the compound, as well as the patients and medical personnel from The Medical City nearby that comprise Coco’s clientele, quite a number of the people lining up and waiting are actually Grab riders who will deliver the drinks to their clients. Kuya Gary, one of the riders, advised me to book my order via GrabFood next time to avoid the lines and waiting. (Yep, will take note of that.)

The store has a small area, probably able to fit twenty or so diners inside at the most. With all the people there, there was hardly space for everyone to sit comfortably while waiting.

Given the amount of transactions within the store, it seems that Coco is a bit undermanned, with just to service crew and a store manager present to facilitate orders.

Storage space seems to be an issue as well, since boxes of supplies are placed in the store area.

After waiting in line for quite a while, I was informed at the cashier that waiting time for my order is 40 minutes.

Say what?!?

Well, since I’ve waited for quite some time already, and I was envisioning bringing some of these drink treats to my kiddies at home, I decided to stick it out and ordered the following which I immediately took home to enjoy with my kids:

A Salty Cream Milk Tea (Php90 for regular size) for me. Himalayan Sea Salt is added to heavy cream and whipped together to a frothy texture then added on top of the milk tea concoction. I would have wanted to taste the difference of the salty cream against the milk tea but I guess the sea salt was used quite sparingly.

A Pearl Milk Tea (Php80 for regular size) for my daughter, #ExhibitA. Being the most basic flavor among milk teas, this drink had to be just right. I agree with #ExhibitA that the balance of sweetness, creaminess and the tea flavor is just right, and the texture of the pearls is on point.

A Coco Chocolate (Php85 for regular) for my little boy. When I tasted this concoction, I found it similar in flavor to regular chocolate drinks and I couldn’t discern the tea flavor. But, hey, my son likes it well enough and that’s what’s important, amirite?

So the answer the mystery earlier on why a relatively new milk tea brand would have such a loyal following seems anchored on two factors:

Commitment to quality. The long wait could have been eliminated if the store was not discriminating in using the freshest fruit and tea ingredients which was actually a company directive since its founding by it chairman Tommy Hung in 1997.
Reasonable pricing. Given the quality of ingredients and the attention given to each drink, the pricing within Php75 to Php110 per drink is just right.

This Coco Fresh Tea & Juice branch is located at Ground Floor, Tower 2, Rockwell Business Centre, Ugong, Pasig City. It is open daily from 10am to 10pm.

It also accepts orders for a minimum of ten drinks via SMS to +63 927 5254788 from customers within the vicinity for pick-up. To order, just text your name, company, company address, specific orders (number of drinks per variant, exact sixe, sugar level, amount of ice and extra toppings, if preferred), and change for what amount to be prepared by the store crew. Remember though:

Orders for pick-up will be accepted from 9am to 9pm.
The store will send a confirmation SMS to acknowledge your order.
Confirmed orders can no longer be changed to avoid confusion and delay. (Have some compassion for the barista and the other people waiting for their drinks.) 🙂
The quality of the drinks will decrease the longer you wait to pick them up.
If you fail to pick up your orders, orders from you will no longer be accommodated in the future.

Other Coco Fresh Tea & Juice outlets where you can satisfy your milk tea cravings are located in the following:

Makati: Century City Mall in Poblacion
Mandaluyong: Rockwell Business Center in Highway Hills, SM Megamall in Ortigas
Manila: SM City Manila in Ermita, Lucky Chinatown in Binondo, SM City Sta Mesa
Muntinlupa: Festival Mall in Filinvest City
Pasay: SMX Covention Center in MOA Complex
Quezon City: Eastwood Citywalk 2 in Libis, Fisher Mall along Quezon Avenue, UP Town Center in Diliman, Cyber Park Tower 1 Building in Cubao, Trinoma Mall in Bagong Pag-asa, Regis Center in Loyola Heights, Gateway Mall in Cubao, SM City Fairview in Novaliches, SM City North EDSA in Bago Bantay, Ayala Fairview Terraces in Novaliches
San Juan: O Square in Greenhills
Taguig: Uptown Place Mall in BGC, Venice Grand Canal Mall in BGC

Or you can just have your milk teas delivered via GrabFood. 🙂

If you’re in the store waiting for your drink, you might want to listen to a podcast to while away the minutes. One of the podcasts I like to listen to is the Read to Lead Podcast with Jeff Brown, available on Spotify. He espouses the idea that intentional and consistent reading is essential to personal and professional success, best summed up in his mantra: “Leaders read and readers lead.” With this theme, he invites authors of books on business, marketing, personal development and entrepreneurship to guest in his show to share their insights to his listeners.

Among the books featured in my favorite episodes in this show include:

Freelance to Freedom: The Roadmap for Creating a Side Business to Achieve Financial, Time and Life Freedom. In the episode, author Vincent Pugliese relates how he and his wife built their side business into a full-time one to be able to devote time to their growing family and to eventually live debt-free.

Friend of a Friend . . .: Understanding the Hidden Networks That Can Transform Your Life and Your Career . In the episode, David Burkus introduces the idea that the best way to grow your professional network is to understand and serve the existing network you belong to.

The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do. In the episode, writer Jeff Goins answers questions submitted by listeners.

Love books and reading? Try Kindle Unlimited on Amazon. Get your first month FREE.

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Sumptuous Chinese Lunch at Lugang Cafe, Greenhills

Lugang Cafe is the offshoot of Bellagio, a Taiwanese restaurant chain which first opened in Shanghai in 2001, bringing with it a combination of authentic Taiwanese cuisine with a modern and vibrant restaurant design. Since then, it has grown its China operations to include outlets in key cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Najing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi’an, Xiamen, Quanzhou and Galaxy Macau.

Outside China, it is known as Lugang Cafe, currently with 7 branches in the Philippines, and recognition as a recipient of Philippine Tatler’s 100 Best Restaurant Awards.

Walking in to Lugang Cafe’s O Square branch in Greenhills Shopping Center, I can’t help but be impressed by its sleek, contemporary yet decidedly Asian decor. It has floor-to-ceiling windows that let in lots of natural light (great for food photography!) and even allows passersby to peek at the chefs at work in the kitchen. It has distinctive wall art, fixtures and furnishings that give the place a luxurious and premium look and feel, quite a departure from the usual down-home (and sometimes shabby-looking) Chinese restaurants.

Even though the place was packed with the Sunday lunch crowd, we were lucky to find ourselves a table with the help of a very accommodating hostess. There was a frenetic kind of energy to the place, what with the servers rushing here and there and the din of clanging utensils from the diners.

For my Sunday lunch together with Hubby and my daughter #ExhibitA, we ordered an array of dishes that showcase Lugang’s penchant for carefully selected ingredients imported from China, cooked fresh (with no chemical additives), and developed by the 14 world-class chefs it employs.

Steamed Pork Xiao Long Bao (Php268 – 8 pieces). Did you know that in China, making Xiao Long Bao, also known as the soup dumpling for the flavorful pork skin broth that accompanies the pork leg meat inside the fine, delicate hand-rolled skin, is considered an art form? Lugang’s take on this challenging dish results in a very light and delicious dumpling that whets the appetite for more.

Steamed Vegetable and Pork Dumplings (Php268 – 8 pieces). A lighter take on the usual pork dumplings as the meat has to share the limelight with some greens.

Steamed Pan Fried Siopao (Php268). Another departure from the run-of-the-mill cuisine, this version of the steamed siopao has bottom which has been seared to a crisp texture, adding an interesting contrast in texture to the light fluffy bun that envelopes the meaty filling.

Spicy Beef and Tendon Noodles Soup (Php320). Tender choice cut beef sirloin slices and melt-in-your-mouth tendons are accompanied by a savory and spicy broth and firm handmade noodles (that I had trouble cutting with my soup spoon, hahaha!) and topped with aromatics. This is definitely something I would want to sip on during cold rainy days.

Pineapple Fried Rice (Php320). A twist on the regular fried rice, with cashew nuts adding texture and pineapple bits lending some sweetness to the dish. Although it went well with the viands we ordered, I think this rice is a bit too oily for my taste.

Beef Tenderloin with Crispy Garlic (Php680). A new dish offered by Lugang first introduced in this very branch last year, it features tender cuts of beef braised in a flavorful garlic sauce, quite a flavor grenade!

Fried Prawns with Oats (Php580). Humongous prawns covered in an oat-filled batter and deep-fried to a golden brown. While it has an interesting texture, I think that the oats do not do much to enhance the prawns’ taste.

All in all, our Sunday lunch at Lugang Cafe introduced us to a host of absorbing new tastes and textures, as well as wowed us with the luxurious restaurant interiors. We definitely wouldn’t mind returning and revisiting our favorites or trying out the other dishes being offered.

Which brings us to…

Lugang Cafe’s UlTEAmate Feast

From August 28 to September 28, weekdays at 2.30 to 5.30pm, diners can eat all the Steamed Pork Xiao Long Baos their hearts desire, together with other unlimited dumplings, for only Php298 per person at all Lugang Cafe branches. For more details, visit Lugang’s Facebook Page.

I might have some difficulty availing of this offer – what with work schedules and all – but take heart, I vow to find a way!

Lugang Cafe’s Lauriat Feast

Did you know Lugang can deliver platters and packed meals with your favorite Taiwanese dishes right at your doorstep?

This Lugang Cafe branch is located at Ground Floor, O’Square, Greenhills Shopping Center, San Juan City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 906 2176217. Other branches are located at:

Level 1, Main Mall, South Arcade, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City (Tel: +63 906 2176216)
2/F The Block SM North Edsa, Pag-asa 1, Quezon City (Tel: +63 2 3328725 or +63 915 7469693)
Skypark, Level 5, SM Aura Premier, 26th Street corner Mckinley Parkway, Taguig City (Tel: +63 2 5195663 or +63 906 4555873)
Glorietta 2, G/F, The New Ayala Center, Makati City (Tel: +63 2 4033303 or +63 906 4555879)
F Fashion Hall, Bldg D, SM Megamall Edsa cor. J. Vargas, Brgy Wack Wack, Mandaluyong City (Tel: +63 2 6316436 or +63 915 1742243)
Level 1, Pedro Gil Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila (Tel: +63 995 7564734)

Andok’s, the Fast and Fuss-Free Dinner for Weary Travelers to Tagaytay

After braving the traffic jams from Metro Manila to Tagaytay, the last thing the fam wants is to worry about dinner.

Not wanting to go through the hassle of deciding (and debating!) where to eat and waiting the requisite 15 to 20 minutes for the food to be served, we decided to just go to Andok’s for takeout.

Andok’s started way back in 1985 when Leonardo “Sandy” Javier, Jr. established a “litson manok” (roasted chicken) stall along West Avenue in Quezon City. Today, the Andok’s franchise has stores all over the country, some being fully-fledged dine-in restaurants with menus that include Chicken Barbecue, Barbecue Liempo (Pork Belly), Litson Kawali (Pan Fried Pork Belly), Crispy Pata (Pork Knuckles), and more.

We headed on to the nearest Andok’s stall and procured three orders of Liempo (Php179 each) and two orders of Lechon Manok (Php239 each).

The orders were wrapped and turned over to us quickly. We were supposed to also order steamed rice from this outlet but it was not readily available. (We were able to order it from another resto, though.)

Thanks to Andok’s, our dinner on the first night of our Tagaytay sojourn was quite affordable and fuss-free.

This Andok’s outlet is located at the corner of the Sta Rosa – Tagaytay Road and Calamba Road, near Museo Orlina and the Tagaytay City Market.

Happy Korean Lunch at Neul Bolm, Tagaytay

Ever since the extended family discovered the wonders of Korean cuisine that Tagaytay has to offer several years ago, a sojourn here is hardly complete without a meal at a Korean restaurant.

One such eatery is Neul Bolm Korean Restaurant which has moved to a new location since our last visit. (Incidentally, it is tagged on Zomato as “Permanently Closed” but as confirmed by the wait staff and this review, it is still very much in operation.)

The new location is just as spacious as their previous one with a cleaner and more modern aesthetic. It has long wooden tables with built-in grills for the Korean barbecue; two tables side-by-side was able to comfortably accommodate our party of ten.

We ordered Ssambap, meats to be grilled right on our tabletop and served with green leafy vegetables, a few slices of garlic, sesame oil and some ssamjang or red bean paste sauce. These include:

Cha Dul Begi (Php500), thinly spiced beef and Samgyubsal (Php400), grilled pork belly.

Jeyuk Bukum (Php400), spicy stir-fried pork with vegetables

These were accompanied by generous and refillable servings of banchan, side dishes such as sliced fish cakes, rolled omelettes, kimchi and more. Many of these have some acid or vinegar elements which help cut through the richness of the grilled meats.

We also ordered Kimchi Jeon (Php280), a kimchi and seafood pancake with egg; Budea Jjigye (Php970 for a Large serving), a soup of kimchi, ham, sausage, pork and veggies; Bulgogi Junggol (Php650), tender slices of savory-sweet marinated beef served in sauce; Dolsot Bibimbab (Php280), rice and vegetables mixed with a spicy paste and served in a heated clay pot; and Steamed Egg.